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28DL Regular User

Hill store ballroom oldham is quite easy one of those place's that you can walk past every day and not even now it's there, above carpet world lie's a little gem long forgotten about myself and old skool first noticed this place over winter looking for mills but has taken sometime in getting in but well worth it in the end.The ballroom itself is split in to two and some attempt at restoration has taken place but nothing to show how it would have looked in it's hey day,The larger of the two has a beautiful nine pane stain glass window featuring a large lemon tree and was designed by local glaziers J&W Guthrie. a lot of the original panels are covered up but most of the original tiles still remain, the ball room sits above shops known as hillstore which were made up of different trades of the era Inc drapery, Gent's outfitters and general store.
HISTORY
The Hill store ballroom and hill store opened on October 1st 1904 and was designed by Thomas Taylor, the store itself was owned by the Oldham Equitable co-operative Society witch itself was formed by six working men who clubbed together to buy provisions for 15 shilings 75p and then sell at a profit, they rented a property first then later moving to Huddersfield Rd where they built Hillstore, the ballroom was built at the same time and was used fight through the war until the 1980's when it became a live band hall, not to sure when it closed down as a music venue but i can't see this part of the building getting the restoration work it needs shame really...Enjoy